Results 18,481-18,500 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gender Equality (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: In the Programme for a Partnership Government, the Government has committed to taking measures to reduce the gender pay gap. Actions to advance this commitment will be included in the forthcoming National Women's Strategy. In developing detailed proposals, appropriate regard will be had to measures taken in other jurisdictions and there will be consultation with relevant stakeholders...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigration Status (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Immigration and Naturalisation Service (INIS) of my Department that the person referred to has permission to reside in Ireland until November 2019. He was also granted a multiple entry visa for short stays in January 2017 which is valid until January 2019. Should the person concerned now wish to apply for a long-stay visa in order to join his spouse, it is of course...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Recruitment (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, recruitment to An Garda Síochána is governed by the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 2013. The Public Appointments Service (PAS), on behalf of the Garda Commissioner, manages the initial recruitment stages for selection of Garda trainees. The final stages of the recruitment process in which candidates are vetted, and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Criminal Legal Aid (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Work on the drafting of a Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Bill is at an advanced stage in my Department. The key purpose of the legislation is to transfer the administration of the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme to the Legal Aid Board and to give effect to Government Programme commitments in respect of criminal legal aid, including introducing a more rigorous and objective means testing system for...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Functions (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Programme for a Partnership Government contains a commitment to examine the feasibility of a new Public Defender system. I can inform the Deputy that a number of steps have been taken by my Department to give effect to this commitment. In particular, the Departmentis reviewing previous reports in the matter and is examining the position in other jurisdictions. Preliminary consultations...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Station Closures (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 99 together. The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government commits the Government to ensuring a strong and visible police presence throughout the country in order to maintain and strengthen community engagement, provide reassurance to citizens and to deter crime. A cornerstone of this commitment is the Government plan to achieve an overall...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As set out in my letter to the Deputy of 27 February 2017, I am advised that An Garda Síochána engages with a wide range of stakeholder groups as an integral part of its approach to policing and crime prevention. At national level, a Strategic Retail Forum is convened twice a year as an important element in the implementation of the Garda Theft from Shops Crime Prevention and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service Administration (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Programme for a Partnership Government contains a commitment to resource the Courts, particularly the Circuit Court, to deal with increased non-summary prosecutions of serious crimes. As the Deputy is aware, at its meeting of 6 December 2016, the Government decided to reassign, by appointment, three specialist judges of the Circuit Court as ordinary judges of the Circuit Court. These...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Recidivism Rate (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Prolific offenders may be subject to a range of supervision orders. These include Post Release Supervision orders under the Sex offender Act 2001 or Part Suspended Sentence Supervision orders under the Criminal Justice Act 2006. In the management of these cases, the level of supervision in the community is determined by the level of risk indicated through the application of formal risk...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Programme for a Partnership Government contains a commitment to commission an annual study on court efficiency and sitting times as outlined by the Deputy and my Department has examined options to develop the most effective approach to implementing this commitment. It is intended that this study will be incorporated into a wider review of the administration of civil justice which has...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government contains a commitment to bring forward legislation to reduce excessive delays to trials and court proceedings, including proposals for pre-trial hearings. The Criminal Procedure Bill is currently in the drafting process with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. The primary aim of the Bill is to reduce delays and increase...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Data (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of resources, including personnel, among the various Garda Divisions and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter. Garda management keeps this distribution of resources under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the optimum use is made of...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised) (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the Chairman. I welcome the opportunity to present the Revised Estimates for 2017 in respect of the justice Vote group to the committee. Members will be aware that it is made up of eight different Votes, with a combined gross expenditure allocation of just over €2.72 billion in 2017. That is an increase of 3.6% on the 2016 allocation of €2.482 billion which was...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised) (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: There has been unprecedented investment in the Garda fleet since the economy began to turnaround. There is a slight decrease in investment this year but this is due to the fact that we brought forward some of the investment to the end of 2016. The actual expenditure on new and replacement vehicles over the period 2013 to 2016 was in the region of €40 million. Expenditure in this...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised) (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: That is why it is necessary to continue this investment programme. They are large amounts. That is why we are putting in €8 million per year into the fleet over the years I have mentioned. It is an essential part of doing the job and I am pleased that we have the money to make that investment. It is a key component of policing. The fleet is critical. The Deputy is right to point...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised) (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will provide the deployment figures to the committee. I do not have them now. The fixed wing aircraft does need replacement. It is one of the areas we have highlighted for consideration in the capital review. It will have to take its place among all of the other priorities. Obviously, safety and ensuring that it continues to be fit for purpose is the key factor. In respect of...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána (Revised)
Vote 21 - Prisons (Revised)
Vote 22 - Courts Service (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 24 - Justice and Equality (Revised)
Vote 25 - Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Revised)
Vote 41 - Policing Authority (Revised) (12 Apr 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The helicopter replacement plan is in the capital review as well. I am sure it is something the committee will want to return to once we have had the mid-term capital review but they are both in for replacement.